Abel Enrique Esquivel Jr., a 23-year-old resident of San Francisco, was tragically killed on August 15, 2017. Esquivel was shot near the intersection of 26th Street and South Van Ness Avenue, just a block from his home. The incident occurred around 2 a.m., and he was subsequently taken to San Francisco General Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries the following day.
The gun used in the shooting was a .38-caliber revolver that had been stolen from a San Francisco police officer's personal vehicle just days before the incident. This detail added a layer of complexity and outrage to the case, as the weapon's origin highlighted issues within the police department's handling of firearms.
The investigation into Esquivel's death revealed that he was gunned down by a teenage robber who was wearing a GPS anklet at the time of the crime. This teenager, along with two other suspects, was arrested and charged with Esquivel's murder. The suspects were arraigned in San Francisco Superior Court, where the community's anguish and outrage were palpable. The fact that the bullet that killed Esquivel came from a police officer's stolen gun was particularly difficult for the community to accept, leading to widespread calls for accountability and justice.
In the aftermath of the murder, Esquivel's family and community members expressed their grief and anger, particularly at the Central American Resource Center (CARECEN SF), where Esquivel had interned over the summer. The center's executive director, Lariza Dugan Cuadra, voiced the community's pain and frustration, emphasizing the unacceptable nature of the circumstances surrounding Esquivel's death. The case also brought to light issues related to the suspects' previous interactions with the criminal justice system, including one suspect's release from jail despite a request for an immigration hold.
Legal actions followed the tragic event, with Esquivel's family filing a complaint against the San Francisco Police Department. The complaint centered on the theft of the officer's gun and the subsequent use of that weapon in the fatal shooting. This legal battle aimed to address the broader systemic issues that contributed to Esquivel's untimely death and to seek justice for the young man whose life was cut short. The case remains a poignant reminder of the intersection of community safety, police accountability, and the impact of gun violence on families and neighborhoods.
